Girdle



July` 2l, 1959 N. A. MARINO GIRDLE 2 Sheet8-$hee`t 1 Filed Sept. 5. 1,958

INVENTOR. NICHOLAS A.. MARI NO BY Il? IHN 4 July 21 1959 N. A. MARINO l 2,895,482

GIRDLE Filed Sept. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. NICHOLAS A. MARINO United Stats zThsinvention relates generally 'to girdles and related .typesof ladies undergarments. More particularly, the

inventionlhas reference to a girdle provided at the front portion thereof with a slit Vat opposite sides of which there are rigidly constituted, fabric-covered stiifening rods, pivotally connected at the inner end of the slit for :relative swinging movement about Ia horizontal axis extending :transversely across the front of the girdle. In

other words, the rods may swing relative to each other only in vertical .planes ina fore-and-aft direction, fol- `lowingthe swinging of the legs during normal walking,

running, and other exercise.

The main object of the present invention is to provide :a` girdle which will be characterized by the comfort with .which it may be worn during ordinary and even strenuous physical activity. One of the disadvantages of conventional girdle construction resides in the fact that the .girdle hampers, or interferes with to some extent,

`the 4normal physical activities, and may chafe theskin,

or otherwise prove uncomfortable and particularly confining to the wearer.

ln accordance with the present invention, the slit construction, and in .particular the provision of rigidly constituted, Small but strong rods at opposite sides of the slit, permits the portions of the girdle at opposite sides of the slit to move relative to each other in the same manner that the legs of the wearer move during walking.

`In other words, the portion of the girdle at one side of vthe slit will move forwardly with the leg at that side off the wearer, while the portion at the other side of the -slit will move rearwardly with the other leg during normal walking. At each step, the positions of course are reversed,tand the rods are continually swinging back and 'forth relative to each other, with a view to promoting maximum` comfort on thepart of the wearer.

Anotherobject is to provide a girdle which will be so designed `as to provide the relative movement of side `portions of the girdle to leave the girdle with minimum confining characteristics, while at the same time the connection of the rods to each other will be such that -the slit lwillin no situation spread in a direction transversely of the girdle. This is of importance, due to the fact that the overall function of the `girdle is to confine the portion ofthe body about which the girdle extends, and attractivelyshape said portion of the wearers body.

.lfthe girdle` were to spread, then obviously, its adaptability for eciently discharging its function would be lost. Thus, the rods cannot swing relative to each other in any but the mentioned planes, and cannot swing laterally, rather than in a fore-and-aft direction.

Therefore, 4in the sense of the transverse dimension of the girdle, the spacing between the rods, that is, the

spacing between the opposite side edges of the slit, never increases and to this extent, the girdle has the same characteristic as one which does not even have the slit.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of the character described which can be embodied in conven- 2,895,482 yPatented .July 21, 195.9

tional girdle construction withra minimum amountof Vunsightly bulges visible through `the garments of the wearer.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objectsand advantages thereof,treference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly :set forth.

`In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a girdle according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse sectional viewsubstantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig.3 lis a sectional view on the same scale as .Fig. 2, showing the` upper portions of the rods.

Fig. 4 isa sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

,Fig. 5 is an enlarged vperspective view of the rods v.per se.

4VFig. 6;is anelevational'view-,of the girdle asqseen from the rear.

Fig. 9 is a bottomplan view of thegirdle as seen from line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Figs. 10 and 11 are `bottom views of `the girdle as .it appears during the `taking `of successive steps while being worn.

Referring to` the drawings in` detail, the girdle comprising the present invention has been generally designated at 10, and .includes a body portion 1.2 of a resilient stretchable or elastic fabric commonly used in girdle construction. The fabric could be of a `two-way stretch type, or could stretch `only transversely, or longitudinally. Further, the girdle can have a body portion, which, instead of a single piece as shown, could be composed of a plurality of panels, shaped as desired and connected to each other, `with the panels having various, different characteristics as regards the direction and extent of stretchability thereof.

At the top of the girdlebody 12, said body is hemmed as at i4, and a bottom hem l14S-is also provided, that is, the fabric of the girdle is doubled upon itself and stitched in place to provide reinforcing at these locations. All this is conventional construction, of course, and doesnot `constitute Iin and of itself'part `of lthe present invention.

The girdle according `to the present invention has, rnedially between its opposite sides, a vertical slit 18 at the `front thereof extending upwardly from the bottom of the girdle to a location shortV of the midlength point of the girdle. The slit might be, for example, `in a typical embodiment, about `fourinches inlength. In any event, slit 18 is adapted to open in a manner to be described in detail.' hereinafter, butlwill not open in a Vtrans- "verse direction."

Referring to Fig. 2, the material of body 12, at opposite sides of slit 18, is rolled or folded upon itself as at Then, fabric hems or tubes 22 are extended along opposite sides of the slit, and could comprise, for example, a heavy satin or equivalent attractive, smooth,

and yet strong material. In any event, the tubes or hems 22 are stitched to the rolled edges 20 by means of stitching 24 as shown in Fig. 2.

Confined withinthe tubes and extending the full length of the slit are rigidly constituted rods 26. In the illustrated example, these are of generally rectangular cross section. However, they could be of circular cross section, ilat, or of any other desired cross-sectional shape, so as to produce a minimum bulge while still being possessed of complete rigidity.

The rods 26 terminate at the upper end of the slit, and the tubes, above the rod, are brought together and integrally joined as at28 to close the tubes at the upper end of the slit through the provision of a tapered upper end portion 30 common to both tubes 22. Stitching is employed as ,previously described, as at 24, such stitching converging at the portion 30 as shownin Fig. l.

The tubes are in full communication at their upper ends, as shown in Fig. 3, and extending transversely of the communicating end portions of the tubes is a connecting bolt or pin 32, which can comprise a screw extending through transversely aligned openings 34 formed in the upper endsL of the rods 26. A nut 36 is applied to the screw, and the shank of the screw is peened over upon the nut to prevent the nut from unthreading itself from the screw. Between` the rods 26 there is a spacer washer 40.

It will be seen that the rods can swing relative to each other about a single axis deiined by the screw 32, and can swing only in closely spaced, vertical planes eX- tending in a fore-and-aft direction medially between the opposite sides of the girdle. The rods cannot swing laterally from each other toward the sides of the girdle, that is, to right or left in Fig. 3, as will be obvious from the nature of the connection between the upper ends ofthe rods. t

Referring to Figs. 10 and 1l, elasticconnecting strips 42 are extended from the back portion of the girdle to the front portion, at the bottom of the girdle. Each strip 42 at one end is connected to the back portion of the girdle. At its other end it is connected to the front part of the girdle at one side of the slit, that is, the strips 42 are at opposite sides of and are connected to the side edges of the slit 18. The strips 42 are fully elastic, so that they can stretch as necessary when the girdle is put on and when the wearer is indulging in normal or strenuous physical activity.

In any event, it will be seen that the strips 42 cooperate with the adjacent side edge portions of the girdle in defining leg openings A, B in the girdle.

The purpose of the strips 42 is to pull each side edge of the slit toward the back of the girdle to cause the girdle to hug each of the legs of the wearer, and to remain in the snugly fitted position even during walking and other physical activity. Yet, the construction is such that the girdle is not confining when one is indulging in said activity, but provides maximum freedom while still fully preserving its functions of shaping and confining the wearers body.

The invention is such that in use, during the taking of one step forward, one rod 26 will swing forwardly while the other will swing rearwardly. This is shown in Fig. 10, and it will be assumed that the leg extending through opening B has been moved forwardly during the taking of a step. As a result, the side edge of the slit 18 appearing atV the right side of the slit in Fig. l moves forwardly while the other-side edge moves rearwardly, with the rods at these sides of the slits correspondingly moving forwardly and rearwardly respectively.

On the taking of the next step, the leg extending through opening A will move forwardly and the leg extending through opening B will be to the rear as in Fig.

ll. Now, the side of the slit adjacent leg opening A moves forwardly together with the rod at this side while the other side moves rearwardly.

This provides the desired freedom of movement in the girdle, not found in conventional girdles. At the same time, it is very important that the girdle does not stretch transversely any more than it would if the slit were not present, or if it does, it stretches transversely only to an exceedingly minor degree at is lower end. 'This is due to the fact that the rods are never capable of moving away from each other in a direction transversely of the girdle, beyond their closely spaced, parallel relationship. In other words, the rods must, by reason of the particular nature of their pivotal connection, always remain in closely spaced, parallel planes that lie in a foreand-aft direction in respect to the girdle.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent l. A girdle comprising an open-ended body portion of exible material adapted to lit snugly about the lower part of the trunk of a wearers body, said body portion having a vertical slit at its front medially between its opposite sides, and a pair of rigid rods carried by the body portion at opposite sides of the slit, said rods being pivotally connected at one end for relative swinging movement in a fore-and-aft direction only, the girdle further including tubular hems at opposite sides of the slit receiving the respective rods, and the connection there between the pivotal connection between the rods comprising a screw extending through the upper ends of the rods, and a nut threaded on the screw, the shank of the screwl being peened over upon the nut to hold the nut and screw permanently against disassembly, said pivotal connection further including a spacer washer between the rods, the screw extending through the spacer washer.

2. A girdle comprising an open-ended body portion of flexible material adapted to iit snugly about the lower part of the trunk of a wearers body, said body portion having a vertical slit at its front medially between its opposite sides, and a pair of rigid rods carried by the body portion at opposite sides of the slit, said rods being pivotally connected at one end for relative swinging movement in a ore-and-aft direction only, vthe girdle further including tubular hems at opposite sides of the slit receiving the respective rods, said hems being in communication at the upper end of the slit, said body portion having rolled edges at opposite sides of the slit, the tubular hems being stitched to the respective rolled edges of the slit, the body portion having rolled top and bottom edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 398,046 Hollis Feb. 19, 1889 622,381 Murdock Apr. 4, 1899 650,865 Perrottet June 5, 1900 651,847 Goodman June 19, 1900 1,996,626 Robinson Apr. 2, 1935 

